Hey friends!!
I'm on Spring Break and this week has been *just* what I needed. Full of the beach, two sweet pups, and friends...oh and so much food. I honestly didn't expect a staycation to be this good. My college bestie came down for the week and we just spent time in the sun and trying to places to grab a bite (and also Chick-Fil-A). Perks of a late Easter/Spring Break: 80 degree days in April!! Praise.
I'm hopping on to share a skincare routine that I've been loving lately and seems to be working for my angry forehead...ha! I've struggled with Comedonal acne since I was in my early teens and now that I'm almost in my mid-twenties (yikes), it's still lingering around. I go through spurts of completely clear skin and then they make an appearance like, "Hey girl, we're gonna hang a while!" I've been to the Dermatologist more times than I can count and I've used different retinoids for over ten years. My Derm prescribed me another retinoid to try this past January (Differin) and I tried both percentages not noticing a huge difference.
I did NOT want to go back again, mostly because my copay can feel like paying rent, but I felt like I could find something (or a mix of things) that may work as good or better. I'm here to tell you I think I nailed it! After tons and tons of research and reading reviews, I pulled the trigger on a few products that I've been using for a little over a month now and have improved the way my skin looks and feels.
These three goodies go on before any makeup in the morning. I still use the prescribed Adapalene (Differin) occasionally, definitely not everyday now. Good news, this percentage is a prescription, but they have one you can buy right off the shelf that I tried first! It goes hand-in-hand with the Differin moisturizer pictured above. This stuff is amazing for oil control and I always use a moisturizer with SPF in it, so it's perfect. Now the star of the show, the main reason I decided to switch up my routine. You see that little bottle with the green liquid inside? It is a game changer. It has decreased the size and amount of Comedones on my forehead tremendously, MORE than any prescription the Derm has given me in the last year. It's called Blume Meltdown and I highly recommend it if you are feeling stagnant with the condition of your skin. It has brought to the surface what I feel the Adapalene was just keeping at bay. It has a strong Rosemary, earthy smell but quickly goes away after it's applied.
First thing's first, I do not use all of the products pictured above every night! Each night I cleanse with the CeraVe equivalent face wash to get any makeup or dirt off of my skin and cleanse again with a Micellar water right out of the shower. Then I apply the Blume oil, Adapalene (if I'm feeling it), and Hydra Genius gel moisturizer to top it off. When I was in the middle of all of my skincare research, I read that a gel-based moisturizer is good for naturally oily skin. If I am having more breakouts than usual, I will do the Body Shop tea tree mask before I apply anything to my skin. This mask is great for oil control as well! I just hopped on board the Drying Lotion train during the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale and I was able to scoop it up for half off. I will say, I haven't been totally impressed with it. I toss in my sleep a lot and it comes off very easily after it dries. It's definitely something I apply when I know I'll be at home all day and can be sure I don't rub it off accidentally. There are a lot of great reviews on it, I think it's just user error on my part.
Before I switched to this whole new routine over a month ago, I began at-home dermaplaning. If you're not sure what that is, click the link and read all about it. Simply put, it's removing the dead skin off of your face so your products can work better and your skin is smoother. You do this with an eyebrow razor (pictured above). Yes, I said razor. No, it's not like the razors you use to shave your legs. No, your little baby peach fuzz does not grow back thicker or darker or longer. Yes, I have noticed a huge difference in the brightness of my skin tone and my skin in general.
I've talked about Native on here before, but it deserves another mention because it is so good for you and your skin. It's aluminum free and there are so many scents to choose from. I have been using this deodorant for over a year and I would recommend it to anyone. Best part, it's available at Target and Walmart now too!
The Banana Boat self tanning lotion is awesome and smells delicious. Ya girl stays pasty, summer or winter. This has helped me keep a little color on my legs so I don't blind myself in the sunshine. I linked the new formula, but I haven't tried it yet. I'll pick it up after this bottle is empty!
Phew, there it is folks. I hope this was somewhat helpful if you're on the market for some new skin goodies to try out! I would recommend any of this without hesitation. Let me know if you have tried any!
